Insulation industry news from Global Insulation

Denmark: Rockwool plans to use Intershop’s commerce-as-a-service (CaaS) product for its online business-to-business (B2B) sales platform. The change is part of the company’s general digitisation strategy. The new system allows connectivity between a customer-relationship manager (CRM), product information management (PIM) and quotation system with the storefront.

“With our business running worldwide, being successful in B2B means multi-country, multi-currency, multi-brand management with complex sales channels that need to go hand in hand. We were looking for a commerce solution that allows us to target different channels individually, while being able to scale without effort. Intershop CaaS proved most suited for this purpose," said Mirella Vitale, Senior Vice President Marketing, Communication & Public Affairs at Rockwool Group.

A pilot of the new system is expected in mid-2019. Expansion across different channels will then follow.

Germany: Evonik’s Calostat insulation product has received an environmental product declaration (EPD) from the Institut für Bauen und Umwelt (IBU). The EPD takes into account the entire production process, from manufacture of precursors, their transport, production of Calostat and the option of recycling the material.

Calostat is a non-combustible thermal insulation material based on silicon dioxide.

It is a class A (non-combustible) building material with a thermal conductivity λ of 0.019 W/(mK). It does not absorb liquid water but is permeable to water vapour. Other distinguishing features are its compressive strength of ≥ 90 kPa and gross density of 165kg/m³. It contains no fungicides, algicides, pesticides, binding agents, or flame-retardants. Notably, the manufacturer also says that the product can be recycled.

South Korea: FM Global has approved LG Hausys’ phenolic foam as fire-protective by global standards. The US-based mutual insurance company granted Factory Mutual Approval on criteria testing fire-resistance for ceiling boards and wall panels for the insulation product, according to the Korea Herald newspaper. LG Hausys started producing phenolic foam insulation board in 2013. In May 2018 it opened a second production line at its Cheongju plant in North Chungcheong Province. A third production line is scheduled to be completed by early 2020.

US: Thermoseal has launched three new spray foam insulation products: Thermoseal 360, Thermoseal 800 and Thermoseal One. Thermoseal 360 is an ultra-high yield open cell spray foam insulation. Thermoseal 800 is a new ultra-high R-value open cell spray foam. Thermoseal One is an ultra-high yield, ultra high R-value, one pass, closed cell spray foam insulation. Thermoseal One has also passed the Hurricane Wind Uplift test, which means it is approved for use in Hurricane zones across the US.

Thermoseal manufactures polyurethane spray foam insulation, roofing, and other similar products for the residential, commercial and industrial construction industry.

Slovenia: Knauf Insulation has celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Škofja Loka mineral wool plant. The plant originally opened in 1958 under the Termika brand. The company also opened the Knauf Insulation Experience Center (KIEXC), a sustainable building showcase. KIEXC will be used to provide an educational base for the latest construction techniques, energy advisory consultations and training.

“Thanks to Škofja Loka’s pioneering research and development we are the cutting edge of innovative solutions such as sandwich panels, fire-resistant rock mineral wool systems and domestic appliance insulation,” said Jean-Claude Carlin, president of the board of Knauf Insulation.